Am I Too Late?
by nekonekoanime
Summary: Ryoma comes back after five years only to find an unexpected truth he never knew that was possible. Sakuno five years later, along with Kintarou and the rest of the Prince of Tennis cast. What will happen? RyoSaku with a hint of KinSaku
1. When He Returned

**Am I Too Late?**

**[A/N]: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS ONLY PURE FANFICTION.**

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He took a sip of the can of grape juice he was holding as he stepped out of the airport

"It seems nothing has changed"

It's been five years since he left for America. It's currently spring in Japan; he looked up and held out his hand to catch a cherry petal he hasn't felt for five years. Yes, our so-called Prince of Tennis is now grown up, eighteen to be exact. It's not surprising that at this age he's already a pro tennis player and has won the Grandslam one year after another. On his back he carried the tennis bag with his name printed on it carrying his second can of Ponta and headed out to visit Seishun Academy.

He walked around the tennis courts, looking at the courts let the memories of five years ago flash in his head. He reminisces those days when he was called _O-chibi_ and was constantly held by his Senpai Eiji and Senpai Momo. He remembered those days when he challenged their Captain Tezuka, that time when he played a match with Fuji in the rain. The time he beat Inui before he became a regular. Those times when he watched his calm Senpais like Kaidoh and Oishi run off after drinking Inui's special vegetable juice. Those moments when he handed his Senpai Kawamura his racquet and would then change his personality. He definitely wouldn't forget Arai-senpai and his three freshman comrades, Kachiro, Katsuo and Horio. And let's not forget, the so-called president of his fanclub, Osakada Tomoka and her shy little friend with extremely long hair… Ryuzaki Sakuno. Then all those moments flashed in his mind; her hair flowing in the breeze whenever she stood there watching him from outside the courts. And those moments when he passes by and catches her practicing by herself hitting and missing the ball… He remembers it all very clearly..

He let out a long sigh and reached in his pocket, he took out his hand and in it was a letter, the reason why he came here in the first place. It was a letter from Mr. Inoue, now the Editor-In-Chief of the monthly Pro-Tennis Magazine.

"_Dear Mr. Echizen,_

_May I please first congratulate you with your recent win in the U.S. Open this year. Because of that, the International Committee of Professional Competition would like to invite you, along with other professional athletes of different sports to a grand press conference which will be held in Tokyo next month. The venue is at the brochure given along with this letter. We will be very glad if you could attend this press conference._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Mr. Mamoru Inoue,_

_Editor-In-Chief of Pro-Tennis Magazine, ICPC Committee Member"_

"I didn't even know that his first name was Mamoru… Oh well, I came a week early. I wonder what I should do now," he mumbled in his thoughts. He decided to head back to his house in Tokyo to unpack. But as he walk around the Tennis courts he stopped to see three familiar figures inside the court.

"Ah!" he yelled in surprise

One of them, who was sitting at the referee's chair, heard the short scream. He looked at the where Ryoma was and his eyes immediately widened.

"Ah! Y-you're… Echizen! " the one with the semi-unibrow yelled

The other two at both sides of the court stopped and looked his way.

"It is! It is Echizen!" the one with the hair in the shape of a coconut husk spoke

"It really is him!" finally the tall one with a nearly shaved head similar to Oishi's yelled aloud.

They all ran towards him and took him a few moments to recall their names.

"Ryoma-kun, it's been so long since we've seen you!" Kachiro exclaimed

"Yeah, without you Seigaku became much quieter," Katsuo stated

"Was I the one making all those noise, I believe it was Momo-senpai and the others," Ryoma retorted

"Yeah ! Well speaking of the senpais, ever since they graduated, I Satoshi Horio, with seven years of Tennis experience, bravely took over the responsibility and became this team's Captain!" Horio said proudly bragging about his role as Seigakus new Captain.

"Are you guys sure this team is fine with him being the captain?" Ryoma stated in a monotonous way.

"What is that supposed to mean Echizen?" Horio yelled

"Echizen?" a voice from nowhere suddenly yelled Ryoma's name, "C-could it be? R-ryoma-sama! Ryoma-sama it is you!" the squealing voice drew closer as they saw a girl figure running towards them.

"O-Osakada? What are you doing here?" Horio screamed in surprise

"I came by to visit you guys! But when I saw who's here… Kyaaaaa~ Ryoma-sama long time no see~" Tomoka squealed!

"Oi! Don't act like that in front of me!" Horio ranted

"Why shouldn't I?" Tomoka stuck out her tongue and pointed it at Horio

As the two argued aimlessly for minutes, Ryoma realized that the gang was complete-ALMOST complete.

"Horio, Kachiro, Katsuo, Osakada…" Ryoma mumbled to himself

"Eh, Ryoma-kun what are you murmuring over there?" Kachiro asked in curiosity

" . . . and Ryuzaki? " Ryoma continued to mumble

" Ryuzaki? " Katsuo asked

"Yeah… it appears s-she's the only one who isn't here. W-where is she?" Ryoma asked with a hint of hesitation as he asked his question.

Tomoka and Horio's arguing suddenly paused. Their smiles changed to tiny frowns followed by a long sigh.

"What's the matter?" Ryoma asked

"It's just that…" Horio spoke

"Ryuzaki is…" Kachiro continued

"She's now..." followed by Katsuo that left Ryoma hanging

"She's what? Cut to the chase!" Ryoma demanded for an answer

"Ryoma-sama, she's no longer with us" Tomoka finished their sentence with a hint of sadness in her eyes along with the rest of them.

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**[A/N]: Hope the first chapter wasn't too boring for you ! (^_^) anyway this is just the beginning so please read and review** **(^_^) This is just my first fic so I'm a newbie at this! Gomenne!**


	2. Please Tell Me About It

**[A/N]: Thank you very much to those who gave reviews I appreciate it (^_^) Anyway here's Chapter two hope you like it !**

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

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"She is what?" Ryoma asked in surprise

"No longer with us" Tomoka repeated

"Yeah I heard you the first time! W-what do you mean _'no longer with us'? _Are you saying she's…" an expression of uneasiness filled Ryoma's usually emotionless face.

"No, no, it's not what you think!" Horio stated

"Eh? T-then, she's okay?" Ryoma asked, dumbfounded.

"Absolutely! What did you think happened to her?" Tomoka smiled and winked at Ryoma's uneasy facial expression

"Don't leave me hanging again, where is she?" he asked straightforwardly.

"Well, let's just say she can't be here right now because… She transferred to a different school." Tomoka explained.

"Oh… that's good to hear," Ryoma let out a long sigh after being relieved, "For a second there I was worried that she…" he whispered to himself.

"Eh? It's good to hear that Sakuno-chan's no longer with us?" Tomoka suddenly blurted out a question.

"No! Not that! I'm just glad that she's okay!" Ryoma explained. "Where exactly is she right now?"

"Well since it is passed 5pm, she's probably headed to work right now," Tomoka explained to them.

"I hope she doesn't tire herself with work every day though…" Kachiro blurted out a statement of concern.

"Yeah, she's been really busy lately and has less time to hang with us," Katsuo followed.

"I bet she probably forgot about us right now!" Horio blurted out.

"Idiot! " Tomoka smack Horio's head from behind, "She's just too busy right now because there are a lot of preparations she has to do for this upcoming week. It's gonna be hectic you know!"

"What are you guys talking about now? And what is this job of hers anyway?" Ryoma asked

"Well, it's kind of a long story," Horio sighed, "anyway, what's that paper you've been holding there? Can I see?" Horio reached for the piece of paper Ryoma was holding

"None of your business," Ryoma retorted as he dodged Horio's hand.

"I see that Ryoma-kun hasn't changed much!" Kachiro stated

"Yeah, we're glad you didn't change!" Katsuo followed

"Of course! This is Ryoma-sama we're talking about! He wouldn't let fame and stardom change him just like that!" Tomoka proudly yelled out, "We should hold a welcoming party for Ryoma-sama! Right now!"

"Hold on!" Katsuo interrupted

"Eh, why?" Tomoka asked

"Ryoma-kun… he just left," Katsuo exclaimed.

"Eh? Ryoma-sama! Where are you going?" Tomoka shouted running after Ryoma

"Err.. That Osakada (=_=)" Horio grumbled

"Haha, that's alright Horio-kun!" Kachiro and Katsuo stated trying to cheer up Horio.

Ryoma went straight to his house; luckily Tomoka didn't follow him all the way home. He started to unpack his things and as he went around the stuff in his bag. As he pulled out one of his clothes, an object which appears to be a tennis ball was pulled out along with it. It rolled on the floor and when it finally stopped rolling, it revealed a drawing on the surface of the tennis ball. He saw a drawing, a drawing which resembles his image. Then he remembered that ball; that ball that was given to him by…

"Ryuzaki…" he whispered to himself.

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**[A/N]: I'm sorry chapter two has to end so quickly ! (~.^) I'll update it soon so don't worry ! (^_^) Haha**

**WARNING: I might leave you hanging every chapter ! xD**


	3. A Little Surprise

**[A/N]: I hope you're not getting bored of reading this yet _" Sakuno hasn't appeared up until now! Fufufu~(^_^)**

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR THE CHRARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

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"Oi! Wake up boy! Stop sleeping and get up!" a loud voice startled both Ryoma and Karupin, who slept on top of Ryoma's belly all night. That aggravating yell came from no other than his father, Nanjiro.

"But it's still too early!" cried the sleepy young man as he covered his face with a pillow

"What do you mean 'too early'? It's 10:00 A.M! How is that early! Nanako sent me up here to wake you up! Now get up lazy-bones!" Nanjiro took away his pillow and pulled away his blanket which exposed the sleep-deprived young man.

"Okay, okay. Geez… what's for breakfast?" Ryoma asked as he rubbed his eyes while sitting on his bed next to Karupin who also just woke up, "nyaaa~" he meowed.

"Why don't you come down and find out for yourself. See ya down stairs," Nanjiro left and went straight outside to go back to reading his magazines.

As Ryoma was left there in his room, he started to wonder why he felt sleep-deprived that morning. Then he remembered, "I didn't get much sleep last night, after I..." he mumbled to himself. "nyaa~" Karupin rubbed his body against Ryoma's arm pointed his head towards the door, "Ah, oh yeah. Breakfast, come on Karupin"

"Good Morning Ryoma-san," his cousin Nanako cheerfully greeted him

"Morning," he replied

"Is there something wrong? You look like you didn't sleep well," she asked him.

". . ." Ryoma couldn't answer immediately

"I prepared a Japanese breakfast for you! I know you hate Western food so, enjoy!" Nanako smiled

"Thanks for the food," he grabbed his chopsticks and started to eat, "nyaaa~" Karupin rubbed his furry body against Nanako's legs, "Oh, I wouldn't forget you Karupin! Here you go," Nanako handed Karupin his food bowl.

"Ah, by the way Ryoma-san, when is that press-con you're supposed to attend?" Nanako broke the short silence

"Next week," he answered shortly

"Ah, you're a week early. It's not like you to be very punctual," Nanako giggled.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Here you go," Nanako handed a mail envelope to Ryoma, "I got this earlier this morning. Apparently, the apartment you lived in was said to be unoccupied so they sent your mail here. It's a letter from the ICPC"

"What could this be about now?" Ryoma grabbed the envelope and opened it. He started to read it then he suddenly stopped and nearly choked, "Eh?" Ryoma said in a slight shock.

"What does it say, Ryoma-san?" Nanako asked in curiosity

"It says… the press-con is tonight!" his face was quite irritated when he said it out loud, "This letter was written about last week and I just got it now! Seriously, haven't these guys heard of E-mail before?" Ryoma frowned.

"Eh? That's really surprising! You better get ready now!" Nanako advised. Ryoma quickly finished his breakfast, or possibly brunch, and hurried to his room.

Just as he was getting ready the doorbell rang, _'ding-dong' _Nanako answered the door, "Good Afternoon! Is Echizen in?" A boy about Ryoma's age was at the door, "Ah yes, you must be a friend of his, right? Please come in!" Nanako welcomed the young man and offered him a seat in the living room and prepared tea for him, "Ryoma-san, there's someone here to see you!" Nanako called out Ryoma in his room.

"Who is it?" Ryoma called back from his room. "It's your friend, come down when you're ready!" Nanako replied. Moments later Ryoma went down stairs. He was ready to go to the press-con. When he arrived downstairs he was surprised at who came to visit.

"Koshimae! Long time no see!"

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**[A/N]:**** I told you it had a cliffhanger in every chapter! (~_^) Hope you guys will continue reading though! Thank you!**

******I hope you like my story!**


	4. While The Night Is Still Young

**[A/N]: Thank you for the reviews everyone ! (^_^) Hope you continue reading it. Right now I'm updating really quick while the flow of the story is still in my head!**

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

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"Eh? Y-you?" Ryoma's head was full of questions; he didn't know what to ask first, "What are you doing here? How did you know where I live?" Ryoma kept asking consecutive questions.

"Is that any way to treat an old friend?" Kintarou complained

"I don't remember being friends with you," Ryoma retorted. Then he noticed that Kintarou was also all dressed up. "This is unusual for him," he thought in his mind.

"Anyway… why are you all dressed up?" Ryoma asked.

"Ehh? You don't know?"Kintarou cried.

"No, that's why I'm asking," he said in a monotonous tone.

"The same reason why you're dressed up!" He had a huge grin on his face, the same sunny grin he gives to everyone else, even back then.

"You're going to that press-con too?" Ryoma's eyes widened a little bit.

"You bet I am! Haven't you been reading the news?" Kintarou's eyebrow raised.

"What news?" asked the oblivious one.

"This event is more than a press-con for athletes! This is big! Lots of important people are going to be there! From entrepreneurs to celebrities to fashion designers and athletes from different parts of the world all in one place! It's going to be grand!" Kintarou explained with such excitement.

"…and why are you going?" Ryoma asked, breaking Kintarou's moment of excitement.

"K-koshimae! You!" he let out a sigh, "I've been invited because I'm one of the Junior Top Ten Players in Japan!" then he pouted, "To be honest I didn't really wanna go because I thought it would be boring. But a friend convinced me to go anyway."

"Yeah… and how did you find my house again?" Ryoma suddenly shifted the topic.

"Were you even listening?" he pouted again, "Anyway I heard you were coming to this press-con too so I thought of visiting you before…" Ryoma started to open the door and grabbed Kintarou from behind.

"Well if that's all you're going to say then Goodbye now, and don't bother yourself by coming back," Ryoma dragged him outside, "I still have lots of stuff to do and you're not on the list, so go on." Ryoma slammed the door and left Kintarou outside.

"Mou.. Koshimae, how rude! Just when I had a message for him!" Kintarou pouted, "Well I guess I have to tell him that later," he glanced at his watch, "Ah! I'm going to be late!" Kintarou turned around and headed to his next stop, passing by Nanako in the front yard.

"Ryoma-san, you're friend seems to be in a hurry. Aren't you going to be late?" Nanako asked to his cousin, "Nope, I don't know about him but the press-con doesn't start until 5pm," he replied.

"Well if you say so. But you still should hurry though, it's already a quarter to 4," Nanako stated.

"Yeah, I'll go in about 30 minutes," he replied.

Minutes later Ryoma headed to the venue, "Looks like this is the place," Ryoma looked up at the 20 storey hotel and stepped inside. The moment he stepped inside there was a long line of waiters and waitresses welcoming the guests on the red carpet. The walls were decorated with silver and gold wall decoration. Enough for it to shimmer when there is light; the chandeliers were crusted with diamonds. The buffet table had exquisite entrées and hors d'oeuvres. The curtains were made of the finest and most expensive fabric. The tiles were Pietra Firma, a tile with cut diamonds in it. Some of the entrepreneurs and their spouses were escorted to their reserved seats. The celebrities were also there chatting with important people. There were also politicians taking sips of champagne as they waited for the program to start.

"And I thought this was just a press-con," Ryoma thought in his mind as he let out a long sigh. Seeing as though no one he knew was in sight, he decided to sit next to a huge arched window to watch the view of the hotel's garden outside.

"There are really lots of people here. It's more like a party than a press-con," he though as he let out a short sigh and looked around. Tons of people really look important, "Although the women seem to be overdressed, and nearly all the gentlemen have golden teeth and expensive-looking shoes," celebrities kept on coming. One of them was the center of attention with her fabulous dress and her stunning hairstyle.

"_Wow, it's her!"_

"_She's so marvelous!"_

"_I wish I had a wife like her!"_

People drew their attention to the celebrities with stunning dresses. People were fawning over the one in the center. And as for Ryoma, he didn't bother to be part of it so he decided to look for the press-con room. He checked the directory and headed to the conference room.

He went back stage, no one even noticed he was there, "looks like they're still getting ready, well the press-con doesn't start for about an hour," he thought to himself.

"_Gya!" _ there was a mild shout from one of the staff members

"_Oi, are you alright? Be careful with that equipment!" _Another one spoke

"_Hai! I'm fine, I'm so clumsy."_

"_One more mess up like that and you're gonna get in trouble, Ryuzaki-san!"_

"R-ryuzaki?" Ryoma turned around to see…

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**[A/N]: Haha, did I leave you hanging again? Well you just have to wait for the next chapter to find out what happens next! Thank you again for reading! (^_^)**


	5. Tonight's Program

**[A/N]: Well, here's chapter five (^_^) Thank you again for your reviews! I hope you'll like this chapter.**

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

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"_I know, I'm sorry… and Yamada-san, please stop calling me with my full name,"_

"_Sorry, I'm still used to calling you Ryusa Kisan, since I'm not sure how to address a new co-worker!"_

"_Ryusa-san you really should be careful!"_

"_Sorry, you really shouldn't worry about me, and you can call me Ryusa-san if you'd like!"_

"Ryusa… Kisan?" Ryoma was dumbfounded after hearing the staff members' conversation, "Seems like I'm hearing things," he mumbled to himself, "Why do I keep remembering that girl?"

Next he decided to go to the garden. There were wonderfully trimmed hedges and rose bushes surrounding the center of the garden. In the center was a huge flowing fountain, the water appears to sparkle when it is seen with light. As he gazed at the water he heard a rustling behind the bushes. He checked to see what was making the sound. He came closer and closer, and when he reached for the hedge…

"Whaaa!" something came out of the bush!

"Hey, get off of me!" Ryoma demanded.

"S-sorry, ah.. Koshimae," the man answered.

"Y-you? Why the heck are you here?" Ryoma asked trying to get up.

"Y-yeah well, it's a funny story actually... it seems that I wondered off and before I knew it, I was lost," Kintarou explained, "Do you happen to kno- … Oi! Koshimae where are you going," he shouted as Ryoma started walking away.

"As far away from you as possible," he retorted.

"Koshimae! Aren't you even going to give me directions?" Kintarou complained

"The exit's that way, the entrance to the hotel is over there," he replied as he pointed at both directions.

"I'm not going home yet! My friend is waiting for me inside!" Kintarou whined in a childish voice.

"Then go already," Ryoma replied.

"_Good Evening to all our guests here tonight! Now that almost everyone is here, let us please start the program!" _An announcement from inside was given.

"Eh! The program is about to start! See ya Koshimae! I have to hurry!" Kintarou left in a hurry leaving Ryoma who was headed inside too. When Ryoma reached his seat he was just in time to see the start of the program.

"_And now, ladies and gentlemen, our host for tonight… She is one of our newly rising young stars, along with her friend and co-host, one of Japan's new top athletes! Let's give a warm welcoming applause to Ms. Ryuzaki Sakuno and Mr. Tooyama Kintarou!_

Ryoma was in shock after he heard that last sentence. "What did he say? Tooyama and… Ryu..zaki..?"

"Good Evening and thank you to everyone," the celebrity he saw earlier, the one that was fawned over by the guests, it was her!

"Is that really Ryuzaki?" Ryoma's eyes widened as he looked at the lady in front of his eyes.

"Now, can you tell us the schedule of activities we're going to have tonight, Sakuno-chan?" Kintarou casually spoke to her. "Why of course, Kin-chan!"

"Sakuno-chan? Kin-chan?" Ryoma thought to himself, "Since when were they so close to address each other like that?" Ryoma shook his head, "No, it must be just a stage act!"

Minutes passed and the program went on, "Now everyone, we will have a short intermission. Because tonight, we will also have professional athletes speak in front of us and the press will ask them questions. Anyone can asks questions!" the hostess spoke, "That's right! Think of it as a press-con but even the audience and fans can ask!" the co-host followed.

"What the? I don't remember reading that in the letter!" Ryoma grabbed his invitation along with the letter that was sent to him, "hold on…" He found a separate paper folded behind the letter, "Why didn't I notice this earlier… it is all mentioned here… I really should read more of this," Ryoma's face frowned.

"Now may we call on our first guest, Sakuno-chan, please tell us who it is!" Kintarou stated.

"Hai!" Sakuno pulled out a name from a small envelope, "Hai! First up is…" she read the name, "Mr. Echizen Ryoma!"

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**[A/N]: Hope this chapter still makes you want to read (^_^) I'm sorry if it's taking too long~ Hope you still want to read my story! _" Thank you to the Readers! (^_^)**

**P.S: Most of the explanations you need and might be wondering about will be answered in the incoming chapters!**


	6. Crazy Interviews

**[A/N]: Thank you again for the reviews! xD Hope you'll continue reading. Sorry I barely updated today, I was sleeping all afternoon xD hahaha**

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

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Sakuno's eyes widened and looked at the guests, "R-Ryoma-kun is here?" she faced and whispered to Kintarou, "Oh… yeah I forgot to tell you about that." Kintarou explained.

"Eh, Me?" Ryoma thought to himself, "Why do I have to be the first? And why does this press-con sound less like a press-con and more like a raffle?" he kept his thoughts to himself and stood up.

"Mr. Echizen, please come up here!" Kintarou announced.

As Ryoma walked up the stage, Sakuno gazed at him walking forward. Their eyes met but Sakuno immediately looked away, and so did Ryoma. For some reason he couldn't bear to look her in the eyes as simply as he used to five years ago. He felt something odd in his chest, now that he exchanged glances with her. Lots of thoughts and questions filled his head, but right now wasn't the time for him to ask questions. Right now he is supposed to answer the questions.

Hands started to raise and he started answering questions.

"_Mr. Echizen, what do you plan to do now that you're the first Japanese Tennis Player who became a pro under the age of sixteen?"_

"_Mr. Echizen, have you ever tried of building a mansion with all the money you've earned in your four years of being a pro-tennis player?"_

Questions were asked and answered. It was first all about his tennis career, but later on it started to become more personal.

"_Mr. Echizen, is it true that you have a girlfriend but you refuse to let the public know?"_

"_Mr. Echizen, is it true that you are dating a rich young lady from New York?"_

Ryoma started to look pissed and wondered how those silly rumors were made, "All of those you asked are untrue," he replied

"_One last question Mr. Echizen, is it true that you had someone you like here in Japan and left her to go to New York to play tennis?"_

That last question somehow bugged him, he couldn't answer immediately.

"We're very sorry but this press-con might have turned out to be a paparazzi," a voice suddenly spoke, "We apologize but the rules say you aren't allowed to ask those kind of personal questions," everyone looked at who spoke. It was Sakuno.

"Ah, yes. The rules do say that we cannot ask the speakers these types of questions," Kintarou followed.

Ryoma was saved by what the two just announced, and with that, Ryoma's turn was finally finished.

"And now we will move on to the next! Sakuno-chan, please tell us who it is!" Kintarou spoke, "Hai!" as Sakuno pulled out another name.

Minutes went by, names were called and questions were answered. While Ryoma got bored so he decided to go outside for a bit to cool off.

"Okay, that's about the last!" Sakuno announced

"_Wait! We have a question for you guys too!"_

"Eh? Is that allowed?" Sakuno asked, "I don't see anything wrong with that, ne, Sakuno-chan?" Kintarou whispered to her ear. "Okay," Sakuno smiled, "What would you like to ask?"

"_This is a question for both of you," _One of the reporters asked.

While they were talking, Ryoma was headed to the door.

"What is it?" Kintarou asked.

"_Is it true that you guy are dating?"_

Ryoma stopped just when he was about to reach for the doorknob when he heard that last sentence.

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**[A/N]: Thank you for reading this chapter ! There will be progress soon and the weird part of the story will be further explained in latter chapters!**

**ChordOverstreetFan: Hahaha you probably wanna slap me to infinity now ! Hahah I've got other plans so all of you just wait!**


	7. The Controversial Fuss

**[A/N]: Sorry everyone for not updating for two days ! I had a headache and it I thought this would help build up the tension xD Anyway enjoy the**

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

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"Eh?" Sakuno asked in confusion, "Looks like I overlooked it," Kintarou smiled at her.

The press and nearly everyone stared at them. They were eager to know the truth. Ryoma, on the other hand, didn't face them. He just faced the door while holding the doorknob without moving an inch. He was ready to hear the answer too, but he didn't want anyone to notice.

"Uhm, we, Kin-chan and I are…" Sakuno started to speak.

"Haha, you're all mistaken! Haha we're not dating, right Sakuno-chan?" Kintarou finished while giving everyone a warm smile.

"T-that's right, Kin-chan and I are only close friends from middle school," Sakuno followed with a smile.

Ryoma felt a bit relieved after he heard that last sentence.

"_Oh come on, you don't expect us to believe that, do you?"_

"Eh? What do you guys mean?" Kintarou asked.

"_The paparazzi have been secretly following Saku-chan wherever she goes, and most of the time she's seen with no other than you,"_

"Haha, I don't see anything wrong with friends hanging out once in a while," Kintarou replied.

"_But you-"_

"Alright, that's about enough for tonight's press-con," the reporter's question was cut by a voice from the stage. Everyone looked up and saw a platform lowering from above, "I shall decide what time it is," the figure was then revealed by spotlights, "I, Don Atobe, shall be the one in charge!" he snapped his fingers like he usually does and everyone would cheer, "Be awed by my radiance!"

"_A-atobe-san?"_

"_Yeah, it's him!"_

"_Wasn't he the one who proposed this year's ICPC press-con and made it into a celebratory event?"_

"_Yes! That's right!"_

"Now that the press-con is over, the party shall begin!" he snapped his fingers and looked at the two hosts, "I'll take it from here," he winked at the two.

"Come on Sakuno-chan," Kintarou grabbed her hand and ran off, "Good thing Atobe-san distracted them," Sakuno said.

They headed towards the door while everyone was paying attention to Atobe. Almost everyone was paying attention to Atobe, ALMOST everyone.

"R-Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno was surprised to see who was at the other side of the door.

"Oh Hey Koshimae!" Kintarou greeted.

Ryoma's face was quite blank. His eyes were covered by the shadow made by his bangs.

"What's wrong Koshimae?" Kintarou asked.

". . ." he answered nothing but silence, seeing as though Kintarou was still holding Sakuno's hand.

"Y-you guys," he started to speak after his long silence.

"Do whatever you want, I'm going home." he said as he turned around and went home.

"What was that for?" Kintarou asked as both of them stared at Ryoma leaving.

"Ryoma-kun…" Sakuno spoke, "I didn't even get a chance to talk to him," Sakuno said with a gloomy face.

"It's okay, we'll see him around!" Kintarou smiled as he faced Sakuno.

Ryoma walked home that night, it felt like a long walk for him while he was full of deep thoughts.

"I'm home," he said while he took his shoes off.

"You're home early! Did something happen little boy?" his father asked, with a grin and a curious tone.

"Zip it, Oyaji. I'm not in the mood right now," he replied.

"Looks like somebody's in a bad mood!" he said as his eyes followed Ryoma heading towards his room.

"I wonder what happened," Nanako followed.

Ryoma slammed the door, took off his jacket and tie and quickly jumped on his bed.

"Nyaaa…" Karupin rubbed his furry body against Ryoma's body, "Not now Karupin…" he said. So Karupin jumped off the bed and went out through the window.

He let out a long sigh, wondering why he acted strange back there. When he heard that question, and when saw them running off while holding each other's hand… It's as if something in his chest was being crushed and his heart was being crumpled up like a piece of paper. And that feeling bothered him all night. He wasn't able to sleep well because of that.

The next morning he woke up and took a visit to Seishun Gakuen again. There he was expecting to see morning practice, but instead he heard noises in the clubroom. He went in the clubroom to see what the fuss was about.

"Oi! Echizen! Come and see!" Horio grabbed Ryoma.

"It's you!" Kachiro said as he pointed to the TV.

"As expected from our Ryoma-sama!" Tomoka bragged.

"What the heck are you doing here again?" Horio asked with an annoyed face.

"What's it to ya!" Tomoka replied.

"Shh guys! Look it's Tooyama-kun and Ryuzaki-san!" Katsuo silenced them.

Ryoma's eyes widened as he looked at the screen, trying not to look interested.

"_Now for our Idol Watch! Last night, new teen idol, Ryuzaki Sakuno, or 'Saku-chan', was seen running off holding hands with apparently her 'friend', the star athlete, Tooyama Kintarou."_

Ryoma's attention was definitely caught.

"_After the press asked a controversial question about them dating, the two answered saying the same thing. 'You're mistaken, we're just friends!' is what the both stated.'_

Everyone's eyes were focused on the TV. But Ryoma started to lower his head…

"_After claiming that they are only friends, Tooyama-san grabbed Saku-chan's hand and ran off together while holding hands! Here's the footage captured by one of our cameramen!"_

They played a video showing Kintarou holding Sakuno's hand tightly as they ran off towards the door. Everybody's eyes widened.

"_Now are they really 'just friends' of something more?" _The report was ended with that.

"Kyaa! My best friend Sakuno is such a star now!" Tomoka proudly stated.

"Psh. The media are too nosy!" Horio complained.

"Ryoma-kun, you were there too right? Did you know what really happened?" Kachiro asked.

". . ." Ryoma looked away; "Nope" he said covering his eyes with his cap.

"Damn the media, I didn't know they were going to show that on TV," he whispered to himself.

"What was that, Echizen?" Katsuo asked.

"Nothing…" Ryoma said. "Anyway, tell me how this all happened…"

"What do you mean?" Katsuo asked.

"You know… how that shy girl turned out to be a star and stuff," Ryoma replied.

"Well it's kind of a long story," Kachiro scratched his head.

"But first! Why didn't you tell us you were going there you jerk!" Horio grabbed Ryoma from behind.

"Just tell me," Ryoma demanded.

"S-sure Ryoma-sama!" Tomoka proudly stated.

* * *

**[A/N]: It's me again! xD I'm in a writing mood right now so I'll probably update faster today! xD**

**Anyway, if you love RyoSaku as much as I do, please like this page on facebook!**

**search it on facebook: RyoSakuFansUnited**

**It's probably the most active page right now! Haha xD**

**Hope you'll continue reading! (^_^)**


	8. That's How It All Happened

**[A/N]: Hi, it's me again! (^_^) Thanks for waiting for the next chapter! Anyway this is a short cliffhanger chapter, but please enjoy!**

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

* * *

Tomoka started to tell everything.

"It all started when Fuji-senpai took up photography in college. Their first project was to submit a photo with the theme, 'A Flower in my memories.' So Fuji-senpai decided to pay a visit to get inspiration. He then captured a photo of Sakuno under a cherry blossom tree, the shot was surprisingly wonderful. Here, I'll show you," Tomoka handed a picture to Ryoma.

"It is stunning," Ryoma thought to himself, he didn't want to say it out loud.

"Not long after that the photo became a great hit. It captured the eye of famous critics and several professional scouting agencies. Fuji-senpai was recognized for his work. And Sakuno was scouted by several talent agencies."

"And she accepted the offer immediately?" Ryoma asked.

"Well no, you know Sakuno-chan." Tomoka explained. "But because of Kintarou's encouragement, he convinced Sakuno-chan to try out even just once."

"Tooyama?" Ryoma thought to himself.

"Yeah, we became friends with Tooyama-kun too when you left for America," Kachiro interrupted.

"Then before we knew it Sakuno started to become a huge hit. She first began modeling then she was invited to advertise beauty products. Then followed by commercials and even a spot in a hit TV show, not long after that she was a huge star," Tomoka explained.

"But why does she have to transfer schools?" Ryoma asked.

"Ah yes, that… Well due to her popularity, she couldn't avoid stalkers. So her manager and the agency she worked for insisted that she transferred to an elite school built exclusively for celebrities and rich kids," Tomoka explained in detail.

"Then… why is she so close to that Osaka-boy?" Ryoma asked again.

"Tooyama-kun also attends that school!" Horio interrupted.

"He what?" Ryoma asked in surprise.

"Yeah, haven't you heard?" Katsuo said.

"Tooyama-kun isn't just an athlete, but he's also been asked to appear on TV once in a while due to his warm personality. Girls just love him. So he was also ordered to attend the same school as Sakuno," Kachiro explained.

"And that's why they've been so close?" Ryoma asked himself.

"Hey, what's that school you were talking about?"

"Uhm, It's called Hoshizora Gakuen," Katsuo said.

"Where is it?" Ryoma asked again.

"Ah, uhm… It's in Shinjuku. Why do you ask?" Kachiro said.

"See ya!" Ryoma said as he left Seishun Gakuen.

"Eh? Ryoma-sama! Where are you going? Tomoka yelled.

"Off to do something important!" Ryoma replied as he walked away.

"That Echizen, why doesn't he answer our questions properly?" Horio complained.

Meanwhile, in Hoshizora Gakuen…

"Sakuno-chan! These Octupus dogs you made are delicious!" Kintarou praised Sakuno as he gorged on the food and stuffed it in his mouth.

"I'm glad you liked them!" Sakuno smiled, "I also made these!" Sakuno showed another box to him and opened it.

"Whoa! Sakuno-chan!" Kintarou's eyes where sparkling, "Thank you for the Takoyaki! You're the best!" he grabbed the box and chowed down.

It was lunch break when a certain man paid a visit, "Looks like this is the place," said the figure standing outside the gates of Hoshizora Gakuen.

"_Oi, you there! What's your business here?" _One of the security guards asked.

"Please let me in," the guy spoke as he stared the guard in the eye.

"_Y-you're… certainly sir! Right this way!" _The guard immediately recognized him and let him in.

"Thanks," he said as he walked in.

Going back to the two having lunch under a cherry tree…

"Sakuno-chan! This is the best Takoyaki I've ever tasted!" Kintarou said as he filled his mouth with more Takoyaki, "Eat slowly Kin-chan, you might choke!" Sakuno advised.

"I found you, Ryuzaki-san," a voice caught both their attention.

* * *

**[A/N]: I know what you're probably thinking of right now.. but well keep guessing on what's going to happen! xD Thanks for reading! (^_^)**


	9. Favors and Surprises

**[A/N]: I hope you guys are excited for the next chapter! haha well here it is and it's kinda long though.. **

**WARNING: quick change of settings/locations! Enjoy! (^_^)**

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

* * *

"Oi! You came to visit!" Kintarou waved his arms at the man.

"Saa… nice to see you again, Tooyama-kun!" He smiled at Kintarou

"F-fuji-senpai!" Sakuno said in surprise.

"May I talk to you for a moment, Ryuzaki-san?" Fuji sat next to Sakuno.

"S-sure thing, Fuji-senpai!" Sakuno agreed.

"You guys go talk while I eat all this food," Kintarou stated as he stuffed more food into his mouth.

"I'm here to ask you a favor, if you don't mind." Fuji started the conversation.

"Sure, and what would that be?" Sakuno asked.

"Will you be my model for a task I've been assigned to?" Fuji asked.

"Of course, what is it about?" Sakuno asked again.

"The theme is Stars in the spring evening. We were told to ask a person to be in the photo and I figured that you'll be perfect as a model," Fuji explained.

"I'd be happy to, Fuji-senpai" Sakuno smiled at Fuji.

"Thank you very much. Are you available this Saturday?" Fuji asked.

"I'll go ask my manager to check," Sakuno replied.

"Sure, call me when you're available," Fuji implied.

Going back to Ryoma, he went straight home after hearing what the others said. That night he went around his stuff, "Nyaaa," Karupin meowed as he watched his master rummage thorugh his stuff and occasionally tossing stuff at him.

"Oi, what are you doing little boy?" Nanjiro asked as he passed through Ryoma's room.

He didn't answer; he was too busy going around his stuff.

"Hn, not in the mood to talk again, eh? Suit yourself," Nanjiro walked away.

"Oyaji, stay right there. I have a favor to ask of you," he broke his silence and grabbed his father's attention.

Meanwhile in the Hoshizora Gakuen dining hall

"_Ne, Saku-chan! Did you watch the news earlier?" _a girl next to Sakuno spoke.

"_Yeah! It was about you and Kintarou-sama!" _Another one joined.

"Uhm.. That was…" Sakuno tried to explain.

"_Is there something you're not telling us?" _The girls giggled.

On the other side of the dining hall…

"_Oi! Kintarou-kun!" _One of the guys put his arm around Kintarou's shoulder.

"_I heard about you and Saku-chan," _The guy said.

"What is it about?" Kintarou asked.

"_You know you two don't have to hide it anymore!" _another guy joined in.

Due to the news earlier, the two were facing similar problems. Everyone thinks they're dating.

Meanwhile, in the Echizen residence…

"Eh? Are you sure about that kid?" Nanjiro was complaining.

"Yeah," Ryoma replied.

"Don't you have other things to worry about?" Nanjiro asked again.

"Leave that part to me," Ryoma said.

The following morning, Sakuno and Kintarou bumped into each other on the way to class.

"Sakuno-chan you don't look so good," Kintarou stated,

"Neither do you," Sakuno giggled.

The two of them started to chuckle seeing as though both of them looked weary that morning.

"Hahaha, I see they kept bothering you too!" Kintarou laughed.

"Yeah! Haha, you too!" Sakuno nodded and they giggled together.

"_What are you two standing and laughing there for, get to class hurry!" _Their homeroom teacher passed.

"H-hai!" The two hurried to class.

Meanwhile in Seishun Gakuen…

"Hey, it's almost lunch break, I haven't seen Echizen around," Kachiro stated.

"You know him, he'll show up whenever he likes," Horio surely said.

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Katsuo said.

"Everyone! I made lunch for us! Where's Ryoma-sama?" Tomoka yelled from afar carrying a bunch of bentous on her hands.

"He's not here yet, so I'll eat his lunch for him!" Horio proudly suggested.

"You wish!" Tomoka glared at Horio and it gave him a chill.

Later that afternoon in Hoshizora Gakuen,

"_Okay everyone, before we start our afternoon classes, I'd like to introduce a new student" _their homeroom teacher announced.

"_Eh? A new student coming this afternoon?"_

"_That's quite unusual!"_

"_I wonder who it could be!" _The students were anxious to see who it was.

"_Please come in," _the teacher said.

Everyone's eyed widened as they saw the new student coming in.

"_From now on he will be joining us today," _The teacher said.

"Hey," the new student greeted.

"K-koshimae?" Kintarou stood up in surprise.

* * *

**[A/N]: Haha xD I'm guessing at first you guys thought that Ryoma was the guy outside! Well I had other plans! xD Hope you guys keep reading! (^_^)**

**Thanks again!**


	10. Hazy Questions

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

* * *

_"Tooyama-san, please sit down," _The teacher ordered.

"H-hai, sorry!" he smiled and sat down.

"_You can sit over there behind Ryuzaki-san" _The teacher instructed.

Sakuno's eyes widened as she watched Ryoma walking over to her, well to his seat but it's in her direction. As he came closer and closer she glanced at him and then looked away.

As he walked by, he gazed at Sakuno, waiting to see if their eyes would meet. Unfortunately, she didn't bother to look. He sat down, staring at her from behind. Although he would occasionally look away, trying not to be noticed by the others. He gazed at her long locks, which were still tied into two braids.

The afternoon classes were finally over, everyone was ready to leave.

"Sakuno-chan! Sorry, I won't be able to hang out today, My manager called. He said he needed me to come right away," Kintarou waved goodbye and left in a hurry.

"Okay, take care!" Sakuno waved back as he ran off leaving her alone. She grabbed her bag and left the classroom. She hurried outside and bumped into someone and fell on the floor.

"Ouch…" she cried as she was sitting on the floor along with her things that fell as well.

"Sorry," the person started picking up her stuff, "I wasn't loo-" his sentence was broken the minute he saw who was in front of him.

"It's okay, I wasn't looking ei-" both stared at each other.

"R-Ryoma-kun!" Sakuno's eyes widened and her face suddenly turned red, "Excuse me!" she said as she looked away and stood up and tried to run off.

"Wait," Ryoma grabbed her arm to stop her, "Is that any way to treat an old friend?" he asked with a deep voice and a shadow covering his eyes.

"I-I'm sorry," she apologized as she looked away.

"Look me in the eyes when I'm talking to you!" he said with an aggravated voice.

"I-Im sorry!" she looked at him in the eyes as her face turned even more red.

He felt irritated for some reason then pushed her against the wall to corner her.

"Stop apologizing!" Ryoma demanded.

"I-im s-… A-alright!" Sakuno suddenly closed her eyes, looking scared.

Ryoma got even more irritated when she closed her eyes. He was irritated because Sakuno reacted that way when she saw him. Thoughts filled his head…

"Why does she act like this only with me?"

"Why does she only smile when she's with _him?"_

"Why won't she look me in the eyes?"

"Why does is she so cheerful when she's with _him _and she shivers when she's with me?"

"And most of all… why am I so annoyed at such a simple thing like this?"

All those thoughts filled his mind and it bothered him very much. Even at this very moment, she was afraid to look at him, and he couldn't bear it.

"Ryuzaki…" he whispered. Right after that, Sakuno opened her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Ryuzaki," he whispered again while stepping away.

"Eh? What for?" Sakuno was puzzled.

"For always being like this…"

"What do you mean by that?" Sakuno asked.

"You…" he started to speak.

_Ring ring… _there was a sound from Sakuno's pocket. It was her cellphone.

"Hello?" she immediately answered it.

"_Saku-chan!" a voice from the other line called her name._

"Eh, Manager-san!" Sakuno replied.

"_I told you to stop calling me Manager-san!"_

"H-hai, sorry…" She replied.

"_Anyway, I need you here in the studio, ASAP!" _her manager said.

"S-sure, I'll be right there!" Sakuno hung up.

"Excuse me, Ryoma-kun! I have to go!" she said as she ran off.

"W-wait… Ryuzaki…" she ran off as he stood there watching.

He laid his back along the wall and slowly sat on the floor. He sighed as another question popped in his head. Looking out the window as the sun set, he whispered softly to himself,

"And what is this hazy feeling in my chest right now?"

* * *

**[A/N]: After nine chapters! There's finally a long RyoSaku moment! haha, hope I didn't bore you by making you wait! xD**

**Until the next~ (^_^)**


	11. The New Project

**[A/N]: Hi everyone (^_^) starting today I'm going to add a line in every change of scene so you wont get confused xD**

**Again, I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS OR THE CHARACTERS. THIS IS PURE FANFICTION.**

* * *

"Manager-san! I'm here!" Sakuno said while panting by the door.

"_Great! Just on time!" _her manager said.

"Right on time for what?" Sakuno asked.

"Sakuno-chan! You're here too!" Kintarou jumped on her from behind and hugged her.

"K-kin-chan?" Sakuno blushed in embarrassment with the way he hugged her in surprise.

"This is perfect!"Another man said.

"_Let me introduce you to this man here," _her manager said, _"this man is a famous producer, I'm sure you may have already heard of him, Him name is Mr. Mizuki Hajime!" _Sakuno's manager introduced.

"M-Mizuki-senpai?" Sakuno yelled in surprise.

"Yes, yes, it is me, dear Miss Ryuzaki," Mizuki said.

"Aren't you too young to be a producer?" Kintarou asked.

"True genius cannot be judged by age," he said.

"_It's true, it's true. He worked as an intern here 4 years ago and his genius was immediately recognized," _the manager said.

"I-I see, but why is he here?" Sakuno asked.

"I'm glad you asked Ryuzaki-san," Mizuki smiled.

"_He's here because he wants to talk to you about something important," _he said.

"I would like you two to star in my new television series!" Mizuki pointed at them.

"Eh? Us?" Sakuno asked in surprise.

"Yes you!" Mizuki confirmed.

"B-but why?" she asked again.

"_Because you two have been the hottest trend since that press-con incident!" _her manager explained.

"And people all over Japan have been talking about the two of you and how they would want to see you as an idol couple!" Mizuki said.

"Uhm.. but what does Kin-chan's manager think about this?"

"_Oh he happily agreed, but had to leave immediately, he said he had something important to do," _Sakuno's manager explained.

"Oh, but what does Kin-chan think?" Sakuno asked as she faced towards Kintarou, who was eating all the snacks.

"Me? I don't mind!" Kintarou said as he filled his mouth with snacks.

"I guess it's settled then!" Mizuki said, "We'll start taping this Saturday!" he announced.

"Eh? Isn't it too soon?" Sakuno said.

"My dear, it's never too early to start taping, besides, the public wants it now!" Mizuki said.

"I understand," Sakuno replied.

"This is going to be fun Sakuno-chan! So cheer up!" Kintarou smiled with bits of food around his mouth.

"Y-you're right, Kin-chan" Sakuno smiled.

* * *

At that time, Sakuno and Kintarou were just headed back to the dorms.

"Hey, Sakuno-chan…" Kintarou started.

"What is it Kin-chan?" Sakuno faced him.

"What do you think about that new project?" Kintarou smiled.

"I… it's…" Sakuno didn't know what to say about it.

"Is it bothering you?" Kintarou asked in concern.

"N-no, not at all!" Sakuno denied it.

"I can sense that there's something bothering you!" Kintarou stared at Sakuno's eyes.

"It's nothing really," Sakuno tried to make Kin-chan believe.

"I'm not buying it!" Kintarou pouted, well if you really don't want to talk about it then so be it," he looked away.

"Sorry if I bothered you," Sakuno apologized.

"It's nothing," he said, "Just remember, I will always be by your side. No matter what happens." He gave her a deep, serious look in the eyes.

"I understand," she replied.

"Well, I guess that's settled! Come on! It's almost dinner time!" Kintarou smiled warmly while grabbing Sakuno's and headed back to the dorms.

"But didn't you just eat?" Sakuno yelled while being dragged.

"That was just a snack!" he said.

"Wait, Kin-chan! Slow down!" she screamed while he dragged her all the way back to the dorms.

* * *

At the same time that night, Ryoma just arrived home.

"I'm home," he yelled while taking off his shoes.

"Hey Kid, I thought they had dorms there in your new school," Nanjiro asked while he passed by.

"They do but you can choose whether you'll stay in the dorms or be one of those who go home," Ryoma explained.

"I see, but why did you want to transfer as soon as possible? You could've started tomorrow you know," Nanjiro said.

". . . I . . . just want to," he said as he walked away.

* * *

**[A/N]: Sorry if my stories are getting less interesting :(**


	12. Lost and Found?

**[A/N]: Minna! Sorry I haven't updated in a while :/ I've been busy with class and I had drawing requests so I became kinda busy**

**Anyway I was planning to add at least another five chapters to make up for it but I don't think I can :/ but I can update sooner now!**

**I DO NOT OWN POT NOR THE CHARACTER BLAH BLAH.. YOU KNOW IT ALREADY =_="**

* * *

That night Ryoma could barely sleep, thinking of what he did earlier. He felt like an idiot. Thoughts ran through his mind again like crazy…

"_Why did I end up talking like that to her?"_

"_Why does she show a natural smile with that Tooyama, and such a fearful expression towards me?"_

He rolled around his bed which eventually woke up Karupin who was sleeping beside him, "Nyaaaa," the cat meowed.

"Sorry Karupin, I can't sleep," he spoke to his cat. Then Karupin jumped off the bed and went under the it. Ryoma ignored it and tried to sleep.

"Nyaa~" Karupin meowed again, "What is it now Karupin?" he faced Karupin and was surprised at a small box that Karupin was pushing from under the bed, "Karupin why did you take this out?" he opened the box and revealed some of his old stuff from long ago.

One of the things he saw was, that tennis ball, "This is…" he clenched his fists while holding the ball, "This is the ball…" he held the tennis ball tighter as his memories flashed back.

_He was passing by as he heard sounds of a tennis ball hitting against a wall, he went closer and spotted an image of a girl, with long braided hair practicing by herself. Her hair flowed with the direction she moved in as she hit the ball again and again against the wall._

_When suddenly she missed the ball, "Eh?" she said._

_She seemed to be bothered by something as she turned around and spotted Ryoma._

"_Ryoma-kun?" she said._

"_You have to bend your knees more," he advised._

"_Ryoma-kun?" she said._

_The ball rolled over to him and he picked it up. While picking it up it revealed a drawing of his face on the ball's surface._

"_Hey, can I have this?" he asked._

"_S-sure, but why?" she asked._

He closed his eyes, "It makes me feel nostalgic…"

* * *

The next morning, Sakuno woke up early to prepare lunch for her and Kintarou. She headed to the Student Cooking Room to make a bentou.

_*sniff, sniff*_

"Smells delicious, Sakuno-chan!" a boy from behind her suddenly popped up!

"K-kin-chan!" Sakuno turned around, "Why did you come here?"

* * *

"Ne, Ryoma-san, you're leaving early today. Why so early?" Nanako asked her cousin while washing the dishes.

"Nothing, I just feel like it," Ryoma replied while putting on his shoes.

"He's been acting weird these days," Nanako said.

"Could this finally be puberty? Finally! It's about time that kid started to mature!" Nanjiro rejoiced while chewing on a strip of bacon.

* * *

". . . Uhm… well, I don't know," he replied, unsure of why he really went there, "Haha! Well I guess it's because I know that you'll be here!" he smiled to her.

"I see," she replied with a warm smile, "do you need anything?"

After seeing her smile Kintarou felt a weird, surprising, yet heart-stopping sensation in his chest. "Uhm…" he tried to speak, "I uhm… N-no… I don't" but it was as if he stuttered when he spoke to her.

"I gotta go, see ya later!" he ran off as fast as he could.

"Okay…" Sakuno's eyes followed Kintarou as he left the room, "Kin-chan seems to be acting strange today," she whispered to herself.

Just as Kintarou left, running off somewhere. A certain guy was walking along the hall.

"Where… am I?" he thought to himself. He appears to be lost right now. He looked around, trying to find an exit. Sadly, there wasn't any close by. But then he saw something approaching. A few feet away was something which appears to be a guy, running towards his direction. As the figure drew closer he recognized who it was. It was Kintarou, running at full speed. He just passed by him without stopping. When he turned around he was gone.

"It looks like I'm on my own again," he whispered to himself.

He continued walking straight towards the end of the hall. At the end of the hall he saw a light coming from one of the rooms. The door was open so he headed towards it hoping that someone would give him directions.

"Excuse me, could you tell me where the senior classrooms are?" he immediately asked while entering the room.

"It's just on the third…"

The person turned around and the sentence was paused while Ryoma's eyes widened.

"You're…" he glared.

"Ah… Long time no see, Echizen." The person replied.

"Atobe," he glared harder at him.

"I see you're not very fond of meeting the soon to be chairman of this academy," he smirked.

"See ya," he turned around.

"Still a kid as always, I see." Atobe retorted.

"Don't care." Ryoma replied as he headed for the door.

"Hey Ki-" Atobe's sentence was stopped by the slam of the door, "That kid, still as cocky as ever."

After he got out of Atobe's office, he made a turn to another hall. As he passed by one of the doors he heard a humming sound form inside. He peeked through the partially opened door and saw a pair of incredibly long braids, along with that, he saw a girl in a cute, pink apron cheerfully humming while preparing some kind of meal.

"Is that…" he immediately recognized who it was, "Ryuzaki…" he whispered to himself.

He leaned closer to the door and accidentally pushed it, making a sound that caught the girl's attention.

"R-Ryoma-kun?" she was startled, "W-what, what are you doing here?" she was perplexed.

"Sorry, I got kinda lost," he explained.

"Oh, s-so…" she stuttered, "do you need help with directions?"

"No thanks, I still remember the time when _you _gave me directions," he retorted.

"O-oh… yeah, I'm really sorry about that!" she apologized.

"Forget about it," he replied.

"O-okay…" she turned back to her cooking.

There was a moment of silence…

"Is that a bentou you're making?" he asked and broke the silence.

"Y-yeah… it is…" she smiled.

"You…" he spoke carefully, "Still haven't changed."

She faced him in surprise, "what do you mean?"

"You heard me, you still haven't changed," he said again.

"Ryoma…kun…" she didn't know what to say.

He grabbed one of her braids and held it close to him.

"You're hair is still too long," he stated, "and in spite being a star, your hair style is still the same."

Her eyes widened. Then she faced towards him.

"That bentou is for Tooyama, am I right?" he asked.

"Y-yeah…it is…" she replied and looked away.

"Yeah, you're still the same," he said.

Sakuno started to become even more confused with the way Ryoma was acting right now.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked in curiosity.

"You still enjoy making bentous…" he paused, "… for the person you like."

* * *

**[A/N]: That's all for this chapter :D I hope you like it (^_^)**

**Anyway I'll be adding those horizontal lines whenever there's a quick change of scenes so please enjoy (^_^)**

**Thank you!**


	13. Something's Cookin' Up!

**[A/N]: Thank you for the reviews everyone :)** **I've started to make RyoSaku progress xD Hope you like it this chapter (^_^)**

**~I'm too lazy to type the disclaimer thing again xD**

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Sakuno looked at him in surprise. His face was suddenly covered with a shadow, his bangs covered his eyes.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"He's your boyfriend, isn't he?" he replied.

"N-no! he's not!" Sakuno yelled, "He just happens to be a friend… who is a boy"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I meant he's your BOY-friend," Ryoma said sarcastically.

"Ryoma-kun, why are you acting strange lately?" she asked.

"Strange?" he replied

"Yeah-" Sakuno started

"Hey, what's that smell?" Ryoma said while sniffing the air.

"Gya! The rice is burning!" Sakuno panicked while blowing away the smoke with her apron.

"Hahahahaha!" Ryoma broke into laughter, "Yeah! I was right!"

"Right about what? And what's so funny?" she asked while checking the burnt rice.

"No matter how graceful and dainty you look on TV and billboards, you're still the clumsy Ryuzaki I knew five years ago!" he explained while laughing.

"W-well at least I don't laugh out loud while someone is panicking! Hmp!" she blushed and turned away.

"Okay, okay… I'll stop now! Pfft…" Ryoma rubbed off a tear in his eye.

"Are you done now?" she asked

"Yeah, yeah… almost!" he replied.

"Take your time," she went back to her cooking.

"Okay I'll stop now," his face turned serious again.

"If you're lost then I'll give you directions," she said.

"I told you, I'd rather not." He smirked.

"So… you prefer being lost?" her eyebrow raised.

"Pretty much," he chuckled, "I'm still not gonna trust your sense of directions!"

"You meanie!" she pouted, "I can find my way through a house of mirrors, for your information! Hmp!"

"How many days were you in there?" he laughed.

She let out a short sigh, "Very well, if you're gonna be like that, fine. You don't have to believe me."

_*Diiing Dooong Diiing*_

"Oh look at that, it's time for class, I'll be off then!" he waved goodbye while taking a riceball from the bentou.

"Eh? Hey, that's not…" Sakuno reached out her hand as the boy left, "Mou… Ryoma-kun…"

She went back to her finished bentou and started to clean up, "Good thing I finished on time, I better hurry!"

Minutes later she walked down the hallway and met up with Kintarou.

"Oi! Sakuno-chan!" he waved at her from across the hall.

"Ahh, Here's your lunch Kin-chan!" she smiled as she handed over the bentou.

"Thanks Sakuno-chan, you're the best!" he smiled back with a bit of red on his cheeks.

"Come on, let's go!" she grabbed his hand and hurried to their homeroom.

"S-sakuno-chan!" Kintarou immediately turned red.

They reached the classroom on time, just before the teacher arrived. Unfortunately, somebody didn't.

"_Mr. Echizen, why are you late?" _the teacher said.

"Long story…" he said while panting.

"_Well whatever it is, sit down!" _the teacher pointed to his seat.

As Ryoma headed to his seat, his eyes met Sakuno's.

"What are you looking at?" he pouted.

"Nothing," she giggled.

"I might've been a little late but that doesn't prove that your directions could've helped!" he whispered.

"But I was the one who _did _make it on time," she chuckled.

"Well I bet you'll get lost in that house of mirrors you were talking about!" he said.

"Well I bet I can get out faster than you!" Sakuno was quite challenged.

"YOU'RE ON!" Ryoma yelled out loud as the whole class stared at him.

"_Mr. Echizen! Do you have anything to share with us?" _ The teacher frowned.

"Uh… no sensei… Sorry." He ducked while the class laughed.

"You were saying?" Sakuno smiled.

"We'll continue this after lunch!" he pouted.

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**[A.N]: Sorry if they're a little OC xD but I put a little bit of comedy in this chapter :) Thank you again for reading everyone (^_^)**


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